Wrist watch band



Sept. 5, 1950 A. D. JOHNSTON WRIST WATCH BAND Filed Sept. 16, 1947 IN V EN TOR. ALBERT D. JOHNSTON Arrblrlvsr Patented Sept. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRIST WATCH BAND Albert D. Johnston, Encinitas, Calif.

Application September 16, 1947, Serial No. 774,311

3 Claims.

My invention relates to watch wrist bands, and

its objects are, to render the band adjustable for ready attachment to difierent sizes of watches; to provide a mounting rest for a watch corresponding to the shape of the case thereof and guarding the same from contact with the skin of the wearer; to prevent discoloration or stain of the metal parts of the band brought about through the direct touch of said skin or perspiration coming therefrom; to allow the body of the band to be bent to conform with the human wrist and to be easily secured to and removable therefrom; to construct the band with parts of contrasting color and to improve the appearance thereof; to form the body of the band of nonmetallic material with detachable metallic watch securing parts mounted and adapted to be adjusted and locked thereon; to render the parts readily accessible for inspection, removal, replacement, renewal or repair; and generally to provide a device which is'economical ofconstruction, eflicient in action and of prolonged life and durability. These and other objects will appear from the drawing and as hereinafter more fully set forth and described. A

My invention primarily consists in forming an open bracelet of solid non-metallic material, having' tapering arms and a rest conforming to the shape of a conventional watch case, and in 3 mounting upon said bracelet a pair of ad ustaq ble tapered sliding metallic straps positioned and constructed to make wedging or locking attachment with loops carried on the tapered arms of said bracelet and to be detachably connected with the pintle rods of said case and removably to secure said case upon said rest.

My invention further consists of novel features of construction, and combinations and arrangements of elements and parts, illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter more specifically referred to and claimed.

Attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred form of my invention, in which similar numerals of 4 designation refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of one form of my improved device, showing the open bracelet with tapered arms, and arcuate tapered straps with catches sliding thereon and secured thereto by metallic loops, the watch case being indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of said device, showing the mounting rest, and adjacent sliding straps;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of said device, showing one of the tapered arms of the bracelet, adjacant sliding tapered strap and loop therefor, an

Fig. 5 is a section ,on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the-drawing, the bracelet 6 is made arcuate in form with open ends I and I, which are spaced a sufficient distance apart to allow the same readily to be slipped over the human wrist the bracelet is designed to fit. Preferably, the said bracelet is formed of a flat strip of Plexiglas, Lucite, but may be made of any suitable non-metallic material, and is curved to fit or conform tothe normal shape of the human wrist. lWhen made of Plexiglas, or of any plastic of similar heat bending qualities, the bracelet, upon the application of heat, may be bent to fit any wrist, and upon cooling will become set in the desired form.

At the top or middle portion of the bracelet.

6, is formed the mounting rest 9 for seating the watch Ill (here shown in dotted lines), which rest is contoured to conformto the general shape of the said watch and preferably is made slightly largerin order to prevent possible contact of v said watch with the skin of the wearer and discoloration therefrom. Sliding upon the outer walls of the arms II and I! of the said bracelet, are the tapered straps l3 and I, each formed.

' said straps being each bent downwardly to form v the hooks or catches l3a and Ila shaped to effect engagement with the pintle rods of the casing of the watch I0.

As shown in the drawing, the arms H and I! are each tapered to the ends 1 and 8 thereof; and mounted upon said arms so as to enclose the same and make detachable locking or wedging contact therewith and also so as to enclose the conforming tapering ends of said straps, are the metallic loops l5 and I6, each being a flattened ring formed of a narrow ribbon or resilient metal formed with inturned abutting ends ll and I! positioned to engage and to slide within a longitudinally extending groove I! formed within the inner wall of the adjacent arm. Since with the exception of said loops, the wall of the bracelet i is at all times interposed between the wrist of the wearer and all other metallic parts of the device, including the watch itself, these metallic 55 parts are continually protected from being stained 3 or discolored from contact with the human skin or perspiration coming therefrom.

By constructing my device of basic non=metallie and superimposed metallic parts, as hereinbefore set forth, a great variety of contrasting color eflects and artistic arrangements are made possible. Where the bracelet is transparent in character, as is the case when made of Plexiglas, with straps with the color of silver or gold. 2. very pleasing artistic appearance is produced. So also, where the bracelet is of white or colored plastic contrasting but harmonizing with the color of the clamps, an attractive effect is accomplished.

To attach the watch It to the bracelet 8, the loops l5 and it are slipped or forced downwardly upon the tapered arms Ii and i2, and the same thereby released from wedging engagement at their point of contact with the tapered straps i3 and Id. Then the watch ill is seated upon the rest 9, and the pintle rods thereof caused to be engaged with the hooks. 83a and Ma of said straps. Thereupon, the said loops are pushed upwardly and caused to make wedging or looking contact with the adjacent tapered portions of-said arms and straps, thereby firmly securing said watch to the bracelet 8. To detach the watch, as is obvious, these steps are simply reversed.

My invention may be embodied in other speciflc forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment, as above set forth is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of my invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which may come within the meaning and range of equival ency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of an open solid non-metallic brace= let having tapering arms and a watch case mounting rest, a pair of tapering ended metallic straps, metallic loops slldably connecting said straps with the arms of said bracelet and mounted adjustabiy to wedge the same thereon, said straps having hooks positioned to engage the pintle rods 4 of said watch case and to secure said case to said bracelet upon said mounting rest.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of an open solid non-metallic bracelet having tapering arms and a watch case mounting rest in the central portion thereof conforming to the shape of a watch case, a pair of tapering ended metallic straps. a pair of metallic loops slidably connecting said straps with the arms 0! said bracelet and mounted adiustably to wedge the same thereon, said straps havin hooks positioned to engage with the pintle rods of the said watch case, and detachably to secure said case to the arms of said bracelet.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a non-metallic bracelet with open arms and with a watch case mounting rest, the

inner walls of said arms having formed therein grooves extending longitudinally thereof; a pair of metallic straps shaped to contact the outer walls of said arms; a pair or metallic loops encircling said straps and adjacent portions of said arms, and having inturned contacting ends positioned to engage with and to slide within said grooves; the upper ends of said straps having hooks positioned to engage the plntle rods of said watch caseand to secure the same upon said mounting rest; and means for locking said straps in adjusted position upon said bracelet.

ALBERT D. JOHNSTON.

REFEEENfiES CITED The foliowing references are of record in the die of this patent: 

